The race for supremacy in the Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association (ISAA) Season 16 Seniors Basketball Tournament tightened significantly following an action-packed Friday at the La Consolacion College Manila Gym.
St. Dominic College of Asia (SDCA) suffered its first loss in dramatic fashion, falling to ICCT Colleges in a 54-52 thriller.
On the other hand, La Consolacion College Manila (LCCM) and World Citi Colleges (WCC) secured crucial victories to keep the standings fiercely contested.
The LCCM Blue Royals narrowly edged out the Manila Tytana Titans, 67-63, while the WCC Skyhawks eked out a 57-53 win against the Philippine Women’s University Patriots.
Despite their setback, the SDCA Pikemen remain atop the standings with a 6-1 record. Hot on their heels are the Blue Dragons, Blue Royals, and Skyhawks, all tied at 5-1 in this tightly contested single round-robin tournament.
The top four teams will advance to the semifinals, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the season.
Melvin Katipunan and Harold de Guzman delivered clutch performances for the ICCT Blue Dragons. Katipunan recorded an all-around stat line of 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Meanwhile, de Guzman contributed 12 points and seven rebounds to seal the upset victory over SDCA.
The Pikemen struggled to find their rhythm, with Michael Sosing and Edward Daquioag combining for just 7-of-22 shooting from the field. Sosing led the team with 16 points, while Daquioag added 13, but their efforts fell short against the determined Blue Dragons.
LCCM leaned on a balanced scoring attack to overcome the Titans. Christian Alonzo led the charge with 13 points and eight rebounds, followed by Kenneth Castillo’s 12 points and seven boards.
Jay Antonio chipped in with 11 points on an efficient 4-of-5 shooting, while also grabbing eight rebounds.
The Blue Royals’ strong team effort proved crucial as they held off the Titans, who were led by John Magdaluyo’s 13 points.
Ivan Salinel shone for the Skyhawks, dropping 17 points to lead his team past the Patriots. Klien Lizan and Louie Lime provided critical support, contributing 10 points each in the hard-fought victory.
For the Patriots, John Espiritu was the lone bright spot, scoring 12 points in a losing effort that dropped their record to 3-4. The Titans also slipped to 3-4 following their defeat to the Blue Royals.
In other games, the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) secured its first win of the season with a gritty 64-57 triumph over PATTS.
Meanwhile, Treston International College stayed in the playoff hunt with a dominant 77-54 rout of ALIAC, keeping their postseason hopes alive.
